National Republican., 1887-07-27
FAMOUS BEN HALLADAY.
End of a lobbyist with Taking Man
ners and Big Claim,

nefs ana Dig Olaim'
[Chicago News.
Ben Halliday, whose death on July s at
Portland, Greg, has been noted, was Il
we'll known figure about Washington for
twenty Years. His claim for 100000 for
losses by the Indians between 1850 and
1896 became q historical one, but like
Others OF merit It was looked upon with
suspicion because the amount which the
government was said to owe him looked
so large. In spite of his bad luck he left
his widow S500,000. Among IIalladay's
champions were Roscoe Conkliug, Oliver F.
Norton ,and other distinguished public men
His adventures on the plains always
furnished an entertaining theme, and
western people had strong admiration for
him. While In Washington Halliday
always lived In fine style and entertained a
great deal. lie looked something like the
late Senator Chaffee, of Colorado, but more
like Gen. w. w. Belknap.
An ex-treasury auditor who Is still living
in Washington sometimes tells his friends
of an experience which proves this. In the
early days Of the Pacific railroads soma Of
the men who were pushing the enterprise
stopped at the auditors house. The rail.
roads bonds were gotten up in the best
style OF the engraver's art, and one OF them
pleasing the eye of his little girl 1t was
given her as a plaything. At that time the
value of the bond was not worth much
more than the paper 1t was printed on.
When the child got tired Of her pretty play
thing.the mother, as as careful housewife,
put 1t away In a tin box along with other
things Nobody ever thought OF the bond
again until the girl had grown to q young
the mother, in looking over the mementos
Of the past, come across the old Pacific
railroad bond. She had dim idea 1t might
be worth something, aud took 1t TO her
husband. He laughed at the notion and was
going to toss the bond into the fire, but his
wife interfered. She knew II was too valua-
BILE to burn, and proposed that her daughter
should have 1t as q marriage portion
Finally the husband was persuaded to take
the bond to persons who would know II it
had any market value. But they were all
skeptical, and the auditor was about to
give up In disgust when he ran across Ben
Halladay.. II any one knew the worth o.
Pacific railroad bonds, he Thought, IL ought
20 be the old man. Halliday showed
lsnguid curiosity, and casually remarked
that the bond might be good for little
something II its owner had time to trace It
back. How much did he think It was
worth? o, perhaps $50 or 800 on the
thousand. Wouldn't he give 500. Well,
perhaps, to oblige friend he would. And
lie did, The face OF the bond was for So, 1000,
and the happy auditor was soon cashlng a
$500 check. His daughter got this as her
marriage portion, and the story was told a
few friends as an illustration OF the good
uck which some people had. A year or SO
later some California people had business
with the auditor, and he incidentally told
hem about the bond. They were all in.
terested. 'Good bargain wasn't it?n he
asked, when he finished. "Yes, for Hal.
ladsy," replied one of the Californians
"Ilow sou
"Well, thatbond was worth $1,000. Il
must have helped old Ben nightly just al
that time.n